Here are some of my notes for anyone coming back to this thread who is considering this type of work. I went for a trial day with this company. Even with 2 of us knocking on doors (one of whom was the experienced trainer), we didn't make the daily sales target. It relies on cold calling and statistics, where if you knock on enough doors, you will make your targets. It is a lot of doors to knock.
My recent experience trialing a door-to-door food sales role provided a stark example of how commercial risk can be systematically transferred from a business to the individual salesperson, particularly within self-employed or commission-only sales models.
At first glance, the proposition appears straightforward: sell premium frozen food directly to households and earn commission per unit sold. In practice, however, the structure places almost all operational and financial risk on the salesperson while insulating the company from volatility in demand.
The role was entirely commission-based, with no guaranteed income. Fixed weekly costs were incurred immediately, including van rental, fuel, and time. In addition, the salesperson effectively financed the company’s inventory: starting the day with a van containing approximately £2,000 worth of stock, which had to be repurchased as it was sold. This meant that cash-flow risk, unsold stock risk, and shrinkage risk all sat squarely with the individual.
In the field, the commercial challenges became obvious very quickly. Sales relied on cold-calling people at home which is an increasingly outdated approach in a market where consumers are accustomed to convenience, choice, and control. Although I was able to engage people politely and professionally, the hit rate was low. Many households were not interested in being approached at all; others were curious but hesitant once they saw the product.
Customer reticence centred on predictable factors: the high cost of individual boxes (£50–£80), the large physical size of the products, and practical constraints such as limited freezer space. Food, while essential, is already well catered for through supermarkets, online grocery deliveries, and subscription services. As a result, this product sat firmly in the “luxury, discretionary” category which is precisely the type of purchase that consumers are cutting back on during a cost-of-living squeeze.
What was particularly telling was the deliberate absence of follow-up mechanisms. No business cards or leaflets were issued, and customers were not meaningfully encouraged to order later online. The rationale given was that “no one follows up anyway.” In reality, this revealed a deeper truth: the model depends on manufactured urgency. Allowing time for reflection, price comparison, or digital ordering would undermine the sale, because similar products can be sourced more cheaply and conveniently elsewhere in lesser quantities through supermarkets, specialist butchers, or modern delivery platforms such as Milk & More and equivalent services.
My experience was that some people were interested in buying good quality food from a delivery man, but when they saw the size and cost of the boxes, most of the people politely backed off.
If you enjoy doorstep selling, meeting all sorts of people and can convince them to buy these products then by all means give it go. Personally it wasn't for me.